Page 70 of Dragon Unleashed
“It’s full of ancient spells. Powerful alchemy that pre-dates even the library. The only person in the world who has access to the collection is Hoc.” I suck in another breath, and my heart rate begins to slow. “Why the hell does Morris want it?”
“If you’d let me catch the asshole, we could have asked him.”
I glare up at Aries. He’s clearly pissed that I didn’t let him destroy Morris right there for everyone to witness. “Fine. The next time that creepy-ass patron shows up, you can drag him into the shadows and rip him limb from limb. Deal?”
Aries is less than amused. “There shouldn’t need to be a next time.”
“There you are!”
“Fuck,” I mutter as Blossom jogs over. How she found us when we’re hidden so far out of sight is unsettling, but at least it’s not Morris. Or Hoc.
Aries turns to face her, and the unicorn looks him over appreciatively, gaze lingering on his impressive abs. Jealousy heats my cheeks. He’smyshirtless dragon. She can get her own.
“You are not supposed to be up here,” she says to Aries.
“My apologies.”
She turns to me. “Why is he here? Not that he’s not fantastic to look at, but Hoc is going to freak even more than when he finds out tall, dark, and delicious here is fucking you senseless every night and visiting you at work every day.” Before I can come up with a reasonable response to either accusation, her gaze levels on the book in my hands and darkens. “Why do you have that book?”
“Morris had it,” I say as I hand it to her. “He was trying to open it.”
“This is from the...” Her eyes land on the symbol and then immediately dart to the open cabinet. “Holy shit. Did he unlock that?”
“I think so,” I tell her.
Her gaze turns molten. “That piece of... Where is he now?”
“The wizard ran off,” Aries replies. “Paige would not allow me to chase him down.”
“Wizard?” Blossom and I both echo.
“That perv isn’t a wizard,” Blossom says warily. “He’s a druid. He told me so.”
“My senses don’t lie,” Aries says simply, and Blossom’s eyes narrow as she mulls that one over.
I bite my lip. If he lied about being a wizard, why? And what did he mean about wanting to get free?
“What is it?” Aries asks, and I realize they’re both watching me, which means my expression must have given away my concern.
“He told me he wanted my help to get free,” I say.
“Free of what?”
“I don’t know. He said he wants to get out. He seemed desperate and, for whatever reason, believes I can help him with it.”
“He was going to attack you,” Aries says in a dangerous tone.
“Well, he’s damn sure getting out of this library.” Blossom’s expression borders on murder, and I have a feeling she intends to do exactly that if she catches up with Morris before he portals home. She nods at Aries. “You need to get him back to your apartment. I need to find Hoc.”
“I can find my own way.” Aries turns and hoists himself easily up the towering shelf until he’s perched on the top. Above him, the ceiling tiles are already slid aside to reveal the opening he used to come down.
“Don’t get caught,” Blossom replies. “And while I have no idea how you’re getting in and out--”
“The tunnels between floors are—”
She holds up a hand to keep us both from responding. “Nor do I want to know. You’d damn well better leave the library or I’ll have to kick your ass. Please don’t make me do that.”
The corners of Aries’ lips twitch in a half smile. “Understood.” His dark gaze flicks to me, and my breath catches. “I’ll see you back at your place.” I nod, understanding what he can’t say out loud—that it must be safe to return home tonight, which is at least some good news—and then watch as he hoists himself through the hole in the ceiling and disappears. I watch as the ceiling tile slides back into place like he was never here at all.
